Against the clock

34.

As I entered the kitchen, I hesitated near the doorway, my attention immediately drawn to Derek engrossed in a phone call. His voice, tinged with a hint of longing, echoed in the room. 'Addison... it's been more than a month now. Can you please call me back?' I overheard him pleading before he disconnected the call, leaving an air of unresolved tension hanging in the space between us. 'Still no answer?' I inquired, leaning casually against the doorframe. He shook his head, meeting my gaze with a mixture of frustration and concern. Four weeks had slipped away, and I was now twelve weeks pregnant. I was still staying at Derek's house. We clicked really well and he's a decent roommate. Despite the proximity, nothing peculiar had transpired between us—certainly not a situation like the awkward incident on the couch.

'I'm going dress shopping with Izzie today,' I announced, and he nodded. 'Have fun,' glancing in my direction. I couldn't resist sharing the news, a hint of excitement in my voice. 'Have I told you that she chose me to be her bridesmaid?' I revealed. His eyes widened in surprise, 'Really?' he exclaimed, and I nodded proudly. 'Are you dress shopping for the bridesmaids?' he inquired, curiosity etched on his face. I kept wearing his sweaters. It kinda turned into a regular thing. Mainly because I needed something oversized to hide my stomach, and he had a bunch of them. My friends started getting ideas, thinking there was something going on between Derek and me. But no one was close to guessing the real deal—I was pregnant. It's a relief they weren't catching on to that.

'Yep, and Izzie wants pink ones for us,' I replied, rolling my eyes. He raised an eyebrow and commented, 'You know what that means, right?' I shook my head in confusion, and he added, 'You're going to need to tell them. Or your dress won't fit.' I felt a sudden wave of panic as his words sank in. Tell them? The idea hadn't crossed my mind, and now I was on the brink of freaking out. I needed an out, a good excuse to call off the bridesmaid gig.

'I... I can't just drop this bomb on them now,' I stammered, feeling the pressure building up.
'What's a good excuse to bail on being a bridesmaid?' I looked at Derek, desperation evident in my eyes. He leaned against the kitchen counter, thinking for a moment. 'You can't call this off. Flights tickets are already booked.'

Their wedding was going to be in Italy, which added a whole new layer of complexity to the situation. Izzie had hotel arrangements covered, but the flights were on my plate. Thankfully, Derek took the initiative to book them, making one less thing for me to stress about. I managed to convince Izzie to let me bring Derek along, trying not to raise any questions. The truth was, I just didn't want to face the wedding alone. Imagining Izzie and Alex in their own world, Cristina who wasn't coming because of work, and George who wasn't speaking to me, it seemed like bringing Derek was the best choice to avoid feeling like a stranger in a foreign place.

My heart sank as the reality of the situation hit me. I hadn't considered the irreversible nature of the plans. Panic set in, and I started to feel trapped in a web of my own making. 'What am I going to do? I can't go through this wedding being a bridesmaid. Everyone will find out!' Derek sighed, his expression thoughtful. 'Well... They would find out anyway, so maybe now is a good time to tell them;'

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. 'I'm going to hide,' I declared, a mischievous grin on my face, and darted toward the door. Without a moment's hesitation, I sprinted toward the living room, aiming to make my daring escape. However, before I could reach safety, I felt the swift and secure embrace of Derek's strong arms, thwarting my plan effortlessly. Caught off guard, my laughter bubbled up as Derek enveloped me, his arms providing both warmth and comfort. His playful smirk and triumphant declaration of 'Gotcha!' only fueled my amusement.

In a sudden and unexpected move, Derek shifted his hold. With surprising ease, he effortlessly scooped me up into his arms, cradling me in a bridal-style carry. The world around us seemed to fade away as he held me securely against him. I couldn't help but feel a rush of butterflies in my stomach, a combination of surprise and delight. 'Looks like you won't be able to hide,' he teased, his eyes sparkling with mirth.